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A farmer called Michael Shannon from county Clare in Ireland has built himself a 1:1 scale radio controlled Massey. He, along with his son, restored a 1983 Massey Ferguson MF250 and added radio controls to the tractor in the process. The machine can be controlled using an RC controller and it can be controlled via […]

A friend of mine sent me this video he found of a great 1:10 RC Tractor really mowing the grass in someones garden. The model is incredibly realistic and appears to have buckets of power, the mower doesn’t seem to slow down at all as it moves through the grass which is very impressive. If […]

I think the creator of these videos might be slightly optimistic if he expects to catch any serious quantity of gold with these machines but it is a good display of the equipment in action. In the first video you’ll see a 1:12 Scale Hitachi excavator working working to collect pay dirt from a river. […]

I’ve finally finished my Scania R620 build, its taken about a year not because it was difficult I just wasn’t able to devote the time I’d have liked to. It’s finished now and the results are great. The steering servo was simple because the lorry is based on the SIKU rc model. I just had […]

Tractor pulling is a popular motorsport around the world where people modify tractors to pull a heavy sledge called a weight transfer sledge. As the tractor moves along a heavy weight on the sledge moves forward pushing the front of the sledge deeper into the ground making it harder and harder to pull. The winner […]

A few weeks ago I made a post about the 97JackBlack YouTube channel with some examples of his conversion work, adding LEDs and servo control to his models using Siku Control 32 parts. This time I going to show you some great videos of his models in action. He has a nice excavator doing some […]

I like to make the electronics for my models completely from scratch, mostly because I like electronics but also because I can add as many features as I like provided I can fit it into the model. This works for me but it doesn’t suit everybody and a popular alternative to to buy Siku Control […]

It would appear from this guys choice of motor that he is an old fashion Gentleman Farmer. If you liked the Ferrari rallying around the farm then you should enjoy this ridiculous display of more money than sense.

Here is a great video about how one guy built his own 1:32 scale radio controlled excavator. I think it might be a plastic model which would make things a lot easier, the biggest problem with my Hitachi zaxis 210 is the weight of the excavator arm. He clearly shows you how he built his […]

I’ve uploaded a video discussing my plans to convert a SIKU John Deere 9560 R into a radio controlled RC tractor. So far I have the drive motor and a temporary servo for steering which is not working perfectly so I intend to replace it. I’ve also done the LEDs in the bonnet of the […]

Here’s just a bit of fun for you guys, a video of a farmer heading out to check the cattle. It would appear his farm is so big that the usual farm ready Toyota Hilux was just not quick enough. To say anymore would probably just ruin the video, enjoy.

I’ve added a new video of the fifth wheel on my Scania R620 model. I used a tiny hobby king servo and a small piece of plastic to mount it. It is actually a rather simple build compared to the tractors as the model was designed to be radio controlled so it has more than […]

Every time I build an RC vehicle I end up putting together the Arduino knob example sketch to test a servo or two. This works fine except it takes quite a while to set up particularly if you need to control more than one so I decided to make a test rig for servos. I […]

Every time I build an RC vehicle I end up putting together the Arduino knob example sketch to test a servo or two. This works fine except it takes quite a while to set up particularly if you need to control more than one so I decided to make a test rig for servos. I […]

Most of you have probably arrived here from the link in my video about motor control using PWM, for those who haven’t here is the video. Motor control in any small electronic device be it an RC car, a small robot or an RC tractor is hevily reliant on pulse width modulation. When we want […]

This is a short video for your Friday lunch break, a tug of war between a tractor and an armoured personnel carrier. One weighs around 9 tonne while the other probably weights over 12 tonne so no surprise which one looses traction first.

One of the most satisfying things you can do when building your radio controlled tractors or construction vehicles is to add LED lights. You can very quick see the fruits of your labor even before you’ve sorted out the control you can just temporarily wire them up and get a sense of what the finished […]

Here is one for you guy’s who are into the larger scale models, this 1:8 scale John Deere has been built to perfection. I don’t think you can buy 1:8 scale static models like this so I guess this guy built it completely from scratch which is remarkable. Look at the tires for example they […]

Here is something a little different, I think I’ll throw in the odd post about real tractors, farming or maybe just what I think is a good video. If you get a chance, shoot over to the RC Tractors Forum and let me know if you guys like this idea or want me to stick […]

If you need ideas for building a lifelike diorama or you want to know how to give your model tractors the weathered look then you should take a look through the galleries on farmmodels.net. There you will find all kinds of tractors from vintage machines like the Ford County to more modern equipment like the […]

This is just another post about a video I just uploaded. In this one I take apart the SIKU Scania R620. I recorded it as I took it apart for the first time so you can see the places I got a bit stuck and I tell you how I got round the problem. An […]

This is a display of the shear power of a the V8 Scania Lorries although it might be helped by what appears to be extremely cold weather. It would be great to get this much power into the Scania R620 Build but it would be difficult to get any real power into such a small […]

Here is a video of a real CAT 319D climbing up some stepped platforms to unload crushed rock. Its an impressive piece of driving does anyone think they could do a radio controlled version of this video? If anyone does manage it post it on the RC Tractors Forum for us all to see and […]

I’m asked a lot about how I get my radio control working using the NRF24 radio modules and I finally have it figured out enough to share with you. It’s taken me a while because I wanted to make sure it was right before I settled on the code. I have been using my John […]

Here is a video of a Ford 7700 which has had its 4 cylinder engine replaced with a perkins V8 from a Claas Dominator 100. It clearly has plenty of grunt and has been immaculately converted to house the V8. This is a clip from one of the Grassmen DVDs which a group of documentary […]

A website you should definitely check out if you like model farm vehicles is the Harry Bell Agri Photography website. On this site you will find pictures of models which have been painted to give a farm worked appearance. The detail of the models along with the quality of the photography can make it difficult […]

Here is an example of a perfectly built 1:14 scale radio controlled excavator. I’m not sure if this was a kit or a scratch built model but it definitely looks good. You can see that it has real hydraulics because the motions are so smooth. If there is anyone out there with some experience building […]

I don’t know if this was built from scratch or from a kit but it is a very impressive RC excavator. The only problem is you would need deep pockets and a lot of space to enjoy this one I think. Then again you might be able to make a living doing work in small […]

If you have the space in your home to allow you to move up to 1:16 or 1:10 scale then you will find that your builds become much simpler. The electronics are around the same size which means you have space for bigger motors and stronger servos but why stop there when you have the […]

The best way to get find out how to build your own RC Tractor is to ask questions and there is no better place to do this than the RC Tractors Forum. We need help to build our forum, we need the first few brave posters to take the jump and post a question. I’m […]

In this video I show you how disassemble a universal hobbies Ford 7810 model. This model is another tricky one to take apart without damaging the paint or breaking the model. It might look easy enough from the video but don’t forget I’ve had this model apart before so the glue has already been broken, […]

I noticed that when it came to editing my videos they appeared to be very dark in the close up shots. To solve this problem I went to Ikea and bought some 3 euro LED lights which have metal goosenecks so can be bent in different angles. This video shows you how I put them […]

This video blog and the RC Tractors website grew a lot over the last few months and I’d like to keep it growing with your help. This is just a quick video to let you guys know how you can help it to grow and how the different options help. The forum in particular could […]

In this video I take another look at the Siku John Deere 990 baler conversion. This time I add a servo to control the rear door of the baler which will drop the first bale. I also added a second servo which will hold the second bale in place until you are ready to drop […]

In this video I take a look at a new RC controller circuit which uses the NRF24L01 radio module. I’m using two xbox joysticks and two sliding potentiometers to control the model. This should make it easy to control an RC excavator as the joysticks can control the boom and the sliding pots can control […]

In this video I take a look at installing a Tamiya 12 speed motor gearbox to drive the RC conversion of the Revell Liebherr A900C Litronic model. I also install a servo to actuate the dozer blade on the front of the model.

In this video I get started on the Joal New Holland W190 loading shovel. There won’t be too much in this build but mounting motors to control the loader will be the tricky part. In this first part I remove the stock wheels and prepare the Siku control 32 drive motors with the new joskin […]

In this video I assemble a 12 speed Tamiya 70190 Mini Motor Multi-Ratio Gearbox which will become the drive motor for my radio controlled Liebherr A900C Litronic model. This range of speeds and torques should come in handy in the final set up of the model, particularly when trying to get enough torque for the […]

I’ve mostly used the Siku Control 32 Fendt 930 motors in my models so far. Those motors have a clear plastic case which means you can see what motor you have and that it has a brass gear train. In this video I take apart the motor and gearbox from a Siku Control 32 John […]

The John Deere mower conditioner is one of the better accessories for storing batteries. The reason for this is that once the plastic blades and other parts are removed from inside, you are left with a large area to hide a battery and other electronics. I was able to fit a servo which allows me […]

One of the hardest thing about converting a diecast model into a radio controlled vehicle is the lack of space, the model designers simply didn’t intend you to try outfitting their model with motors, electronics and batteries. To get around this we need to be somewhat inventive and the batteries is one place where this […]

Here are some fun videos of crazy high power car and truck engines stuffed into small old tractors to make them into crazy speed machines. Hopefully this will get you in a good mood for the weekend, give you that Friday feeling. And of course no modified tractor discussion would be complete without the mighty […]

Here is a bit of fun for friday, a catchy tune from Marty Mone about the joys of drawing silage. I’d guess he’s a Monaghan man, possibly from Ballybay/Carrick area based on the accent which seems to have been too much for youtube captioning thing so it may be slightly difficult for the non-Irish viewers […]

The SIKU Massey 8680 was the first RC tractor that I built and as you would expect it had the most problems. The first problem was that the engine was exposed which meant that I couldn’t simply remove it and fill the space under the bonnet with electronics. I decided to mill part of the […]

Here is a video from Matthias Wandel where he gives a practical description of how a direct current motor works. He does this in a nice practical way by dismantling a battery drill and explaining how the different parts of the motor works. Here is my video about the cheap motors you can get on […]

A differential is an important component in any vehicle, it allows the outside wheel to rotate faster than the inside wheel when you are cornering.This is necessary because when you turn your car the inside wheel has a shorter distance to travel than the outside wheel. Without a differential it would be very difficult to […]

I’ve decided that a little bit of discussion on mechanics could be interesting so to start things off here is a very good video detailing how power steering works. Obviously we are unlikely to get anything this complex in a 1:32 scale model tractor but it could give you something to think about and maybe […]

Here is a great example of how to convert a standard 180 degree servo into a continuous rotation servo. You might want to do this to make screw drives for a radio controlled excavator model or to drive the wheels of an RC tractor model. A servo consists of a control board, a motor and […]

Here is a great example of what you can do when you choose to build a very large scale model. This model clearly is hydraulic and judging by the size probably has power close to a 3.5 ton excavator, it certainly has no problem lifting its creator. If you have built anything this cool then […]

We’ve seen many video of the larger scale tractors and construction equipment with working hydraulics but it’s rare that you get to see inside one. In the video below the owner goes through all the features of his radio controlled Liebherr 574. You will get a good look at the hydraulic pump and the servo […]

The RC Tractors Forum is starting to grow and attract more viewers than ever before and that is purely down to you guy’s asking plenty of questions and starting your own topics. The part I enjoy most is discussing other peoples builds and one user in particular is providing pictures of a very interesting John […]

In our very first mailbag video we received a simple two axis joystick module sent to us by IC Station. This is an ideal addition to have in your spares box ready for when you want to quickly build a test rig for something be it an RC Tractor, RC helicopter or some kind of […]

We recieved an LCD keypad shield for an Arduino from IC Station in our mailbag this week. This is a great way to add a user interface to your Arduino and I show you how to do that in my review video. IC Station liked our reviews and have given us a discount code. Details […]

If you liked the Siku Corleone videos then you should enjoy the Moneydarragh Farm and Agri Contractors. These guys have a great collection of Siku Control 32 models and put them to good use on their diorama. They really put the Control 32 models to the test drawing silage and ploughing so make sure to […]

In this video I talk you through getting started creating radio control using NRF24L01 radio modules and some Arduinos. This is intended as a sort of stepping stone or a taster of how it is done. Once I have the full tractor code working properly I’ll be posting that too, it’s much longer so understanding […]

There has been a good discussion about the power of different drive motors on the forum at the minute (http://ift.tt/1BZxQJk). A suggestion was made to do some tests with a tractor I had running and since I only have the JD 8360RT that was the only model I could test. I go over some motor […]

This time I’m looking at the low loader which came with the Siku Scania R620 model. I install the motor which lifts and lowers the tail gate and show you how the in built potentiometer is used to measure the angle of the tailgate.

I was recording a video with the RC John Deere 8360RT model yesterday and there was still some battery left in the model when I finished so I decided to do a little dozing. I piled up some gravel, got the snow plough attachment out and levelled it out. The camera ended up running out […]

I’m finally getting round to upgrading my models to my new system of using two Arduinos and a radio module in the model. It is the setup that I use in the John Deere 8360RT model which so far is working well. The Masey 8680 previously had one Arduino and an XBee radio module so […]

In this latest part of the New Holland W190 loading shovel build I cut a section from the body to mount the siku control 32 motor in the rear of the model. I also take a look at the steering motor and start to test that out. I have ordered some N20 motors with screw […]

There is a good discussion going on the forum (http://ift.tt/1BZxQJk) about different drive motors and how they could potentially be used to achieve 4WD so this video I recorded a few weeks ago comparing the normal motors seems fitting. In this one I compare the two Siku drive motors to the Tamiya 4 speed and […]

This is just a quick update to show you guy’s the new camera I got for the channel, a Canon EOS M. In the next few weeks you’ll start to see better videos without the black lines along the side. It will take a while for me to work through everything I’ve already recorded so […]

In this video I do a little more work on drive motors, this time I’m looking how to choose the motor rpm or really how to choose the axle rpm. I test out the siku motors to see what speed Siku decided was best for their Control 32 models and then do some calculations of […]

Here is a few videos from the Grassmen DVD – Two Legends & a Donkey. They are fond of the saying “No Smoke No Poke” and the Ford TW35 is the definition of that statement although they also mention FORD stands for “fix or repair daily” and that seems to be proven true in the […]

A Power Take-Off (PTO) would be a cool addition to a model tractor if it was possible to squeeze it in. You would be able to turn simple moving accessories like a hay fork in a more realistic manner but how would you do it? Well I can think of two ways, the first and […]

Here is a short video of my homemade radio controlled Massey 8680 on the move. If you want to make your own take a look at the Massey 8680 page on the RC Tractors website. Any questions post them to the RC Tractors Forum and we’ll try to help.

In this video I take you through the basic idea for the RC Controller, this controller will have an LCD display allowing you to select from all your vehicles and choose which you would like to control. It will have options to control lights on the vehicle and to tune the speed and steering controls […]

In this video I take a look at some cheap sets of nylon gears which I bought on ebay. These are not the worlds strongest gears but you can make many different gear combinations and compound gear trains that you are bound to find a use for some of them.

If you’re in need of some inspiration for you next build you should take a look through Siku Corleones videos. He has many scratch built attachments for his Siku control 32 models and they are all very inventive models. Not only does he make great models, he presents them in unique and interesting videos which […]

Here is the latest Siku Corleone video, this time he has to rescue his International after it gets into trouble while ploughing. A Fendt 939 with a loader saves the day, seemingly driven by a mechanic with a death wish judging by where he is sitting while working on a trailer. Don’t forget to subscribe […]

Here is another example of a well made radio controlled excavator. I think this was originally a plastic model which as I’ve said before is a good base for an RC conversion due to the lack of weight. My radio controlled Hitachi Zaxis 210 has a diecast arm and the servos struggle to lift such […]

Soldering is a very useful skill to have and being good at soldering takes no more than having the right tools and a bit of know how. Dave Jones is an electronic engineer with years of design experience so his EEVBlog is a good place to learn. Check out his tutorials on soldering below and […]

Choosing the right motor controller is one of the trickiest parts of building an RC tractor or robot or whatever you are trying to make. The reason is that a motor draws a lot of current which means the voltage the motor can handle might be small. This means you need to choose an appropriate […]

The king has got to be a Canadian gent called Joe. This guy has become famous for using scale excavators, loading shovels and dumpers to dig out his basement. He has documented his progress on the scale 4×4 forum and it makes for interesting reading. Check out his videos and some details here. He tells […]

It seems to make the most sense that I should create a blog for the RC Tractors site to discuss progress on different RC tractor builds. So far I have been updating the website with the successful complete rc tractor builds however it takes a long time to build the radio controlled tractors as I […]

Here is a video showing an absolutely massive piece of machinery LeTourneau L-2350 loading shovel. This machine has a 16 cylinder 60 litre cummins engine with a power output of 2300 horsepower. It weighs 258 tons and can lift 72 tons but the biggest number of the lot is the price, at 1.5 million dollars […]

Something different today, here is a couple of videos about turbo jet engines. The first one is an old american instructional video which is about a complicated fighter jet engine. The second is everyone’s favourite plumber with his practical guide to making your own jet engine. This is the first part of Colin Furze guide […]

Selecting gears strong enough to do the job you need them for is great but what if those gears are too big to fit in the space you have available? How do you get the same gear ratio from smaller gears? You use a compound gear train and Matthias Wandel explains how to work out […]

This is just a quick post to let you guys know I’ve upgraded the website account to give us the ability to add an unlimited number of pages to the website so expect to see a page dedicated to each vehicle and possibly each accessory as I get time. This will also allow me to […]

Here is a video of a Wedico RC Loading Shovel in action. Wedico make high quality 1:14 scale radio controlled trucks and a few construction vehicles. The large scale of these models allows Wedico to use real hydraulics for different parts of their vehicles which gives them much more realistic movements. In the video you […]

The main alternative to building your own radio controlled tractors or lorries is of course to buy a SIKU Control 32. Here is a quick list of SIKU Control 32 models to give you an idea of what’s out there: SIKU 6761 – John Deere 8430T SIKU 6880 – Fendt 939 SIKU 6882 – Claas […]

This week I’ve come across a collection of videos following a guy disassembling his 500lbs RC model loading shovel. This is a fairly complex scratch built model that the owner bought second hand and now needs to do some repairs to return it to it’s original abilities. These would be great videos to watch if […]

Here’s a quick video showing the internals of the Fendt 936 RC conversion. You can see how the steering servo and the motor/gearbox assembly fit inside the body of the diecast SIKU model. For more details of the Fendt 936 conversion check out the Fendt 936 page. Any question or any advice post them to […]

Okay so I taught I’d just address the question most of you are asking which is “Why don’t I just buy an RC excavator?”. Well there are a few issues with the plan. 1. Small Scale RC Excavators are well…….rubbish! The below video is an example of the quality of model you can expect from […]